As we all heard the sound of impact, something striking into something else like a metal ball against glass. At first we all turned to each other confused when we got the system notification. Our feet moved before our body's could think. We rushed after Sir Braedon and Kaelen. They luckily had not gone far, and yet a strange fleshy tendril was coming from Sir Braedon's shoulder.
"S-Sir Braedon, K-Kaelen, what's going on?"
I asked, as I raised my left arm and scanned the clearing.
"Sir Braedon is a monster disguised, don't be tricked!"
Kaelen yelled as he took the moment Sir Braedon turned away from him to leap back and gain some distance. I half expected the man to turn and tell us something was in his armor, but as he turned I could see a worrisome sight.
The armored plates that made up the plate armor on Sir Braedon's body were covered in toothy maws, each tooth sharp enough and thick enough to break stone as small droplets of acid fell around what was Sir Braedon as each mouth seemed to be salivating. He lunged before I could think as my body moved before my mind did, raising my elbow and the large spike on it like I was presenting the tip of the blade.
Liora stood in the air above us as the wind around us whipped and rose, slamming down and flying at Sir Braedon. I moved anticipating that he would dodge, and yet the arm at the shoulder moved down to the hip, like a mechanism on a crossbow as the shot missed and struck the ground behind Sir Braedon before his arm snapped back to its original place.
Aiden stepped forward spear in hand he threw it at Sir Braedon's head as the man revealed mimic ducked down as the spear flew high. Aiden spun, one of the enchantments of the spear activating as a length of white silk shimmered as the spear shot back to Aidens hand in time for his spin to complete, the butt of the spear cracking against the mimics jaw as it flew to the right a couple feet as its feet skidded to a stop.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast(D)
Mimic has dodged the attack
Party member Aiden has used item Spear of the 7 hunts(D)
Party member Aiden has done 30 damage
The mimic hissed and spoke in a distorted but familiar voice as all the mouths on its body seemed to be its source.
"That is hardly the way to treat your instructor little alchemist!"
It lunged forward but I had already been on the way to intercept. I caught one of its strikes with the spines of my arm, however as I looked at the mimic it had a gleam in what now looked to be several eyes as I saw one of its mouths open, and a spear that looked exactly like the one in its hand came out and curved like it was alive as the spear struck my back where I had been diving to intercept the strike and slamming me into the ground.
Pain sizzles through my body as I gritted my teeth, and yet as I laid on the ground the spear seemed to drip. The pain exploded from my wound as this time I couldn't stop the scream. Acid bit into my wound and opened it as I clawed and cried out in pain, the spear planted through my back and holding me to the dirt.
"Get off her!"
Kaelen yelled as he thrust his staff forward. The mimic where it had been towering over me jumped away and with it another wave of excruciating pain shot through me as the spear was ripped free again.
It hurts, I want to go home, I want to eat a slice of pie while mom talks about the tactics dad was using again, I don't want to be in pain, but I was a tank, my job is to protect, my pain is tolerable, this much for the others could be fatal.
I struggled to my feet, my right arm shaking from the effort as I sent a pulse of energy to my left arm as my fingers sharpened to talons. I swiped backwards, not trying to land a hit, but buy time for everyone to group up, right now Kaelen was separated from us and he would be an easy target if the mimic decided to go for him.
The mimic however easily jumped my hand, lunging for Liora who was in the air and starting to jump away, but wasn't fast enough.
Party member Kaelen has used skill Condemn the Wicked(E)
Mimic has dodged the attack
You have used skill Claws of the Beast(E)
Your condition flares up
The flare up was settled by the aether in your body
Mimic has dodged your attack
Blue strings shot forth as the Mimics leg was wrapped as I saw Jax lunging, however the mimic changed the shape of its foot as Thalia tried to yank it down. As Jax rose up the mimic grabbed Liora's foot and swung her, slamming her on top of Jax as the two fell and landed heavily on the ground
Party member Thalia has used skill Marrionetting fingers(E)
Mimic has broken free of the restraints
Party leader Jax has used skill Iron fist(E)
Mimic has intercepted using party member Liora.
Party member Liora has taken 7 damage from the fall
Party member Liora's skill Light as a Feather(E) has activated
Party member Liora's fall damage had been negated
Party leader Jax has used skill Lifeforce control(E)
Party leader Jax has spent 10 Ki to take 0 damage
Liora from on top of Jax raised her staff as she fired another blast of air. This one much weaker now that she wasn't in the air, however the mimic was in the air and had no way to dodge. The blast struck it in the stomach as the mimic was launched back into the air, the spear it had been planning to run Liora and Jax trough with reforming into a set of climbing claws as it grabbed a nearby tree and started to run along like it was running on stones above a river instead of sideways along the treeline.
"Hold on, I need to clean the wound."
Aiden said running over to me as I had blood trickling down my chin where I was biting my lip to not scream as the acid melted and the hole in my stomach got bigger. I channeled even more energy, changing my mutations from more armor and thicker skin to acid resistance.
I could feel the change wash over me as where the acid had been terrifyingly fast before it now seemed sluggish and confused. Aiden took a hand and scrapped away the acid as I could see him wince as the flesh on his hand burned. He splashed a bit of healing potion on me as the pain of rapid healing snapped what I haden't realized was my slowly clouding mind back to focus. He handed me the rest as I started to drink and he quickly wiped his hand in the grass.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast(D)
Mimic has taken 19 damage
Mimic had nothing to hold on to and was launched back into the air
Mimic has used skill adaptive
You have used skill Mutate
Your condition flares up
The flare up was settled by the aether in your body
You have traded Thick skin mutation for Acid resistance
Party member Aiden has cleaned your wound and used item Basic Healing Potion(E)
You have been healed for 18
Party member Aiden has taken 4 acid damage
Party member Aiden wipes away the acid
I turned trying to find where the mimic had gone while I was distracted, however instead of a treeline, I saw teeth, inches from me as the mimic had lunged. I couldn't move as the world seemed to be going in slow motion around me.
My left arm raised to try to stop the biteforce, but I could feel the plates of bone creaking and snapping as the mouth continued to close. Even my arm that was durable enough to break down a stone wall was breaking like a wooden training sword, what hope did my body have?
I could feel movements, the others around me lunging forward trying to stop this bite. Moments flashed before my eyes, playing with my brother, my father laughing, sitting on his shoulder and letting me yell commands to the troops, the tragic birthday.
The jaws closed tighter
The day my father ran in when I had a nightmare and only stopped at the last second from killing me, breathing my brothers arm, the servants comments of me being a freak.
The jaws closed tighter
I saw recent memories. Eating a meal with Aiden, Jax, Liora and Kaelen. Drinking the energy potion on a desperate prayer and seeing the notification that the flaw would be suppressed partially.
I could feel teeth sinking into my shoulders.
I don't want to die ye-